Dyeing-machine



H. M. DUDLEY. DYEING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2|. I9I I.

m wm /1 TTOR/VEY DYEING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1917..

3 SHEETS*S Afro/mln Patented June 20.

H. M. DUDLEY.

DYEING MACHINE. APPL1CAT10N man sEPT.21,1917.

.1,342,71 1. l Patented June s, 1920 l 3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

3;: if Afro/Mgr UNITED STATES PAIENT OFFICE.

HOWARD M. DUDLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DYEING-MACHINE.

Application filed September 21, 1917.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD M. DUDLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new andy useful Improvements in Dyeing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention refers to dyeing machines and refers particularly to a machine suitable for the dyeing of worsted tops and warp balls.

One object of my invention is a device whereby worsted tops, warp balls and similar fibers may be thoroughly and evenly dyed and treated with liquids.

Another object of my invention is a device whereby fibers in the condition stated above may be dyed and treated without injury to the fiber.

Another obj ect of my invention is a device whereby fibers in the condition stated above may be readily and rapidly packed into dyeing chambers and compressed into a form suitable for even penetration.

Another object of my invention is a device whereby a considerable number of balls, tops, etc., may be dyed equally.

Another object of my invention is a device whereby the condition of the fiber during the dyeing operation may be determined without interrupting the dyeing operation.

Another object of my invention is a testing device combined with the dyeing device in such a manner that the contents of the testing device may be examined without in terrupting the operation in the dyeing device.

These and other objects of my invention will be evident upon a consideration of my specification and claims.

The dyeing of worsted tops, warp balls and similar fibers presents several difficulties which must be overcome in order to produce even and satisfactory results.

On account of the physical condition of the bers they must not be disturbed during the dyeing operation, but must be retained in their original condition. It is further essential that even and uniform penetration of the dye liquid be accomplished in all parts of the fiber mass and it is advantageous that a means be employed for determining the dyed condition of the fiber without disturbing the fiber or breaking the threads thereof..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920.

Serial No. 192,433.

The device of my invention overcomes all of these difficulties and presents a method whereby fibers of the character mentioned may be dyed evenly and uniformly and their condition disclosed at any time during the fdyeing operation without disturbing the fiber or interrupting the dyeing operation.

The device of my invention consists broadly in a machine in which the tops or balls may be properly compressed within iben chambers and supported from the openings in the foraminous plates through which the liquid is forced by means which will allow the liquid to be impinged upon practically the entire outer surface of the fiber mass, such flow of liquid being capable of being reversed through the fiber mass. In order to further cause a uniform impregnation of the liber mass, I insert a con verging member in the path of the liquid in such a manner that the liquid will be forced under a uniform pressure and in equal amounts through all of the fiber chambers within the device.

It also embraces a testing machine for determining the condition of the fiber at any time without the expenditure of time and serious effect upon the fiber incident to opening the fiber chambers and removing a portion of the fiber for examination.

Ihe accompanying drawings, in which similar parts are designated by similar numerals, illustrate one form of the device of my invention:

Figure l is a side-plan view,.partly in cross-section.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. L is a broken top-plan view of a foraminous plate of a fiber chamber.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a broken top-plan view of a portion of a bottom foraminous plate.

Fig. 7 is a broken development of Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrow 7.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-section of the testing device.

In the particular form of a device of my invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, a receptacle l0 has within it a series of cylindrical fiber chambers, 11, ll, l1. The central" portion 85 of the receptacle l0 is extended oppositely into the conical members 12, 12. Integral with the sides of the receptacle 10 is an annular angular iiange member 13 having the outwardly extending annular member 14. The semi-spherical top 15 is extended outwardly into the pipe 16 which is threaded to the pipe 17. The pipe 17 is connected to the pipe 18 by means of' the coupling 19. The pipe 18 carries the valve 20. The lower portion of the top 15 is extended into the annular flange 21 which is bolted to the annular flange member 22 by mea-ns of the bolts 23, 23. Integral with the flange 22 is a series of downwardly extended annular members 24, 24, each of' which is slidable within one of the fiber chambers 11, 11 and capable of abutment upon the movable foraminous plates 25, 25. The flange member 22 is movable with respect to the flange member 14 by means of the screw bolts 26, 26 which are threaded therethrough. Integral with the members 24, 24 is a foraminous plate 27. Integral with the sides of the chamber 10 is angular annular member 28, having the outwardly extended annular member 29. The semi-spherical bottom 30 is extended outwardly into the pipe 31 which is threaded to the pipe 32. The upper portion of the lbottom 30 is extended into the annular flange 33 which is bolted to the annular flange member 29 by means of the bolts 34, 34. F ixedly attached to the member 28 is the foraminous plate 36 within each of' the fiber chambers V11, 11 resting upon the annular offset 37.

The pipe 18 is connected to the pump 38 by means of the bushing 39 which will allow of a vertical movement of the pipe 18 therethrough. Thev pipe 32 is connected to the pipes 40 and 41, the latter carrying the valve 42 and being connected to the pump 38.

rlhe pipe 40 carries the valve 43 and is connected to the pipes 44 and 45. The pipe 44 carries the valve 46 and opens into the upper portion of the receptacle 10 above the fiber chambers 11, 11. The pipe 45 opens into the upper part of the reserve tank 47 A pipe 48 carrying the valve 49 connects the bottom of the reserve tank 47 with the pump 38. A pipe 50 carrying the valve 51 connects the pump 38 with a dissolving tank, not shown. A pipe 52 carrying the valve 53 is connected with the lower portion of the pump 38 for draining the latter. A pipe 54 carrying the valve 55 is connected with the lower portion of the bottom`30 for draining the receptacle 10. A hook-eye 110, integral with the top 15, serves as a means for removing the top from the device.

A testing device is comprised of the cylindrical memberl 60 connected to the two pipes 61 and 62 by means of the bushed couplings 63 and 64. The pipe 61 carries the valve 65 and is threaded into the conduit 66 in the member 13. The pipe 62 carries the valve 67 and is threaded into the conduit 68 in the members 28. Within the cylindrical member 60 and threaded therewith are the foraminous members 69 and 70. In order to load the testing device the bushed couplings 63 and 6.4 are revolved from engagement with the cylindrical member 60 and the latter removed. The member 69 is then unscrewed from engagement with the cylinder 60, removed, the balls of fiber 71, 71 introduced into the cylinder 60, the member 69 screwed down until the desired pressure is obtained upon the fiber and the cylinder introduced between the couplings 63 and 64 which are then screwed into engagement. A testing device similar to the above described accompanies each of the fiber chambers.

The foraminous plate 35 comprises a'series of nested annular bars 80, 80, having downwardly extended serrated members 81, 81 and supported by the supporting members 82, 82 and is spaced below the plate 36.

The foraminous plate 27 spaced above the plate 25 is similar' in construction to the plate 35, the serrated members 81, 81 being upwardly disposed.

The foraminous plates 25 and 36 are similar in form and consist of a series of circular openings 90, 90, from the periphery of which extendsa series of triangular members 91, 91, a similarly extended triangular 9 member 92 dividing each circular opening. Openings 93, 93 are situated between the circular openings 90, 90. The triangular members of plate 25 extend downwardly while those of plate 36 extend upwardly, the object of these members being to support the fiber and allow free access of a liquid to the ber mass in order to accomplish uniform penetration.

The operation of the device, assuming that the liber chambers are open and empty, is as follows The warp balls 100, 100 are placed in each fiber chamber 11, the plate 25 is placed thereon, the member 24 is inserted within the receptacle, the top 15` is bolted thereto by means of the bolts 23, 23, and the member 24 is pressed inwardly and the fiber compressed by means of the screw bolts 26, 26, lVhen the desired condition of compression is reached, the pipe 18 is lowered or raised by movement through the bushing 39 until it is in alinement with the pipe 17, to which it is attached by means of the coupling 19. The testing device is loaded with the fiber balls 71,771, and connected with the pipes 61, 62 as previously described.V

All of the valves are closed with the exception of valves 51, 42, 46, 65 and 67 and the pump started, drawing the liquid from the dissolving tank through the pipes 50, 41, 32 and 31 into the bottom 30 and thence through the plate 35, the space 105, the plates 36. 36, the liber mass, the plates 25, 25 and the pipe 45 into the reserve tank 47.

Vhen suiiicient liquid has been introduced, the valve 51 is closed and the valve 49 opened, thus allowing a continuous circulation of the liquid upwardly through the device. During this operation, the liquid also passes from the space 105 through the conduit 68, the testing device and the conduit 66 into the space 106. From time to time the direction of the liquid stream is reversed by closing all of the valves with the exception of valves 20, 43, 49, 65 and 67, which causes the liquid to flow downwardly through both devices into the reserve tank 47 and to the pump 35.

In order to determine the 4condition of the treated fiber, the valves 65 and 67 are closed, the testing device removed and the ber therein examined, the examination being conducted without interrupting the operation in the larger device. lVhen the dyeing operation is completed, the pump 38 is stopped and valve 55 opened, thus draining the liquid from the device. The valve 55 is then closed and the fiber washed by forcing water through the device by means of the pump 38. The device is then opened and the liber removed.

I do not limit myself to the size, number, shape or arrangement of parts as described and shown, all of which can be varied without going beyond the scope of my invention as described and claimed.

1. In a dyeing machine, in combination, a receptacle, a series of fiber chambers having imperforate sides within the receptacle, a foraminous bottom plate in each liber chamber, a foraminous top plate slidably movable within each fiber chamber, means for moving the top plate with respect to the bottom plate and maintaining it in any predetermined position, a foraminous plate spaced below the bottom plates, a foraminous plate spaced above the top plates and means for forcing a liquid in either direction through the device.

2. In a dyeing machine, in combination, a receptacle, a series of iberchambers having imperforate sides within the receptacle, a oraminous bottom plate in each fiber chamber, a foraminous top plate slidably movable within each iiber chamber, means for moving the top plate with respect to the bottom plate and maintaining it in any predetermined position, a oraminous plate spaced below the bottom plates, a foraminous plate spaced above the top plates, a removable top cover to the receptacle, a pump, liquid carrying means connecting the top cover with the pump and liquid carrying means connecting the bottom or' the receptacle with the pump to allow of the continuous circulation of a liquid in either direction through the device.

3. In a dyeing machine, in combination, a receptacle, a series of fiber chambers having imperorate sides within the receptacle, a t'oraminous bottom plate in each fiber chamber, a oraminous top plate slidably movable within each fiber chamber, means for moving the top plate with respect to the bottom plate and maintaining it in any predetermined position, a 'foraminous plate spaced below the bottom plates, a foraminous plate spaced above the top plates, oppositely eX- tended convergent -members situated centrally of the series of fiber chambers, a removable top cover to the receptacle, a pump, liquid carrying means connecting the top cover with the pump and liquid carrying means connecting the bottom of the receptacle with the pump to allow of the continuous circulation of a liquid in either direction through the device.

Signed at Philadelphia, in the county of Phila. and State of Penna., this 18th of September, 1917.

HOVARD M. DUDLEY. 

